used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
actuatedadjective
moved to action
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Charles crept around the house on the dewy grass, and found himself in the vicinity of the barn.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
on or to one side
From this reading Standing near the front gate, he saw Rowland coming down the road, and stepped aside to avoid meeting him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something
From this reading Standing near the front gate, he saw Rowland coming down the road, and stepped aside to avoid meeting him.
barnnounUS /bɑːrn/
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading Charles crept around the house on the dewy grass, and found himself in the vicinity of the barn.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)
From this reading Charles crept around the house on the dewy grass, and found himself in the vicinity of the barn.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Standing near the front gate, he saw Rowland coming down the road, and stepped aside to avoid meeting him.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading Charles crept around the house on the dewy grass, and found himself in the vicinity of the barn.
dealtverbUS /delt/
inflected form of “deal” — act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
depressionnounUS /dɪˈpreʃən/
a mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
although something is true; in spite of
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
dewyadjectiveUS /ˈduːi/
wet with dew
From this reading Charles crept around the house on the dewy grass, and found himself in the vicinity of the barn.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
externaladjectiveUS /ɪkˈstɜːrnəl/
happening or arising or located outside or beyond some limits or especially surface
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
set up or found
From this reading Charles crept around the house on the dewy grass, and found himself in the vicinity of the barn.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading Standing near the front gate, he saw Rowland coming down the road, and stepped aside to avoid meeting him.
a movable barrier in a fence or wall
From this reading Standing near the front gate, he saw Rowland coming down the road, and stepped aside to avoid meeting him.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading Charles crept around the house on the dewy grass, and found himself in the vicinity of the barn.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Standing near the front gate, he saw Rowland coming down the road, and stepped aside to avoid meeting him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Charles crept around the house on the dewy grass, and found himself in the vicinity of the barn.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Charles crept around the house on the dewy grass, and found himself in the vicinity of the barn.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
lawnnounUS /lɔːn/
a field of cultivated and mowed grass
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
mechanicaladjectiveUS /məˈkænɪkəl/
using (or as if using) mechanisms or tools or devices
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading Standing near the front gate, he saw Rowland coming down the road, and stepped aside to avoid meeting him.
being nothing more than specified
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Standing near the front gate, he saw Rowland coming down the road, and stepped aside to avoid meeting him.
not any; not one
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Charles crept around the house on the dewy grass, and found himself in the vicinity of the barn.
many times at short intervals
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
go across or through
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
platitudesnounUS /ˈplætɪtuːdz/
plural of “platitude” — a trite or obvious remark
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
plightnounUS /plaɪt/
a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading Standing near the front gate, he saw Rowland coming down the road, and stepped aside to avoid meeting him.
Rowland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Standing near the front gate, he saw Rowland coming down the road, and stepped aside to avoid meeting him.
cut with a saw
From this reading Standing near the front gate, he saw Rowland coming down the road, and stepped aside to avoid meeting him.
sheeradjectiveUS /ʃɪr/
complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
having a supporting base
From this reading Standing near the front gate, he saw Rowland coming down the road, and stepped aside to avoid meeting him.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Standing near the front gate, he saw Rowland coming down the road, and stepped aside to avoid meeting him.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
surgeverbUS /sɜːrdʒ/
rise and move, as in waves or billows
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
a special situation
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Suddenly, despite his own depression, he felt a surge of pity pass over him at the thought of the plight of the two boys.
vicinitynounUS /vəˈsɪnəti/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading Charles crept around the house on the dewy grass, and found himself in the vicinity of the barn.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Like a sheer mechanical thing, actuated by some external force, he went down the steps and on to the lawn.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was in no mood for mere passing platitudes such as the old man often dealt with.
